Fire protection for curing tobacco in barns



y 1950 R. THOMPSON 2,516,355

FIRE PROTECTION FOR CURING TOBACCO IN BARNS Filed May 20, 1947 2Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTEIRN EYE July 25, 1950 R. THOMPSON FIRE PROTECTION FORCURING TOBACCO IN BARNS Filed May 20, 1947 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z w m M WW.9 a GM 3 A'ITD RN EYE Patented July 25, 1950 Y rum rnorsc'rroN FORCURING ToBAcco IN BAR Ross Thompson, Durham, of 'one half to Earl N.HowardgRaleigh, N. C.'

Application May 20, 1947, Serial Iva-749,273 1Q v for the prevention offires in tobacco barns that use the flue curing process.

Frequently in tobacco barns some of the tobacco hung from rafters in theupper part of the barn above the heated flues will fall thereon andbecome ignited, usually resulting in completely destroying both the barnand its contents.

An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a fire guard screenthat, made in one piece, is suspended in its horizontal operatingposition immediately below the lowest layer of tobacco hanging above theflues on the floor of the barn.

Another object of the invention is to provide a guard screen havin meansincorporated therewith that will wind the screen in a neat roll forstorage, which means is secured to the walls of the barn in staggeredrelation to each other, and to provide means for holding the free end ofthe screen which is positioned on the walls in opposite relation to thestorage means.

With the above and other objects and advantages in View, the inventionconsists of the novel details of construction, arrangement andcombination of parts more fully hereinafter described, claimed andillustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a flue curing tobacco barn withan embodiment of the invention in operating position therein;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detailed view partly in section of the fastening means forthe screen;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the screen partly broken awayshowing the free end that is attached to the means shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the storage means for the screen;

Figure 6 is an elevational view partly in section of the handle foroperating the means shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an end view partly in section of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary end view partly in section of Figure 4;

Figure 9 is an end view of Figure 5 and Figure 10 is an end view ofFigure 6.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the reference numeraldesignates a tobacco curing barn which may be of any conventional sizein use at the present time.

Supported within the barn in the conventional manner are the dryingracks 2| from which the tobacco 22 is hung for the curing thereof. Theseracks are ofconventional type and are so spaced that sufiicient distanceis'provided for the proper curing of the tobacco. f I The barnshown isof the flue curing process type, in-whichthefire boxes 23 are positionedon the floor m of the barn, 'and the fiues zfiare connected to eachother and'to the fire boxes 23 in a horizontal plane beneath the tobaccofor the curing thereof. A conventional flue 26 is provided for the fireboxes and extends upwardly of the barn in the conventional manner.

The invention contemplates a flexible fire guard screen 27 which issuspended from both walls of the barn, and the number used depends uponthe size of the barn, since the guards are designed to completely coverthe area immediately above the fire boxes and lines, as shown in Figure2, and below the last row of tobacco, as shown in Figure 1.

The screen 21, at its storage end, is connected to a drum 28 havingcircular end flanges 29, and the drum is mounted on the axle 30, whichis journalled in brackets 3|, which are secured to the wall of thetobacco barn by any well known securing means; One end of the axle 30 isprovided with a key 3:! which is adapted to enter the key slot 33 whilethe axle enters the bore 34 of the crank 35 which engages the axle 30and communicates with the slot 33. Thus when the crank is positioned onthe axle, the drum can be revolved thereby to wind the screen on thedrum. The flange adjacent the end of the axle on which the crank ispositioned is provided with even spaced openings 36 which are adapted toreceive the sliding bolt 3! mounted in the bracket at this end of thedrum, whereby unwinding of the drum is prevented when the screen is inoperative position.

Secured to the free end of the screen 2! is the U-shaped binding ironbar 38 which is provided with spaced openings 39 which are adapted to beinserted on the hooks 40 secured to the opposite side of the barn onwhich the drum is mounted in alinement with the opening 39.

The screen is reliable and safe, and when properly installed andextended, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, will prevent falling tobacco frombeing ignited upon contact with the fiues or fire boxes. After thescreen has been positioned as shown, the crank is revolved in thewinding direction to pull the screen taut, and the bolt 31 slipped intoone of the openings 36 to hold the screen in this position to preventsagging thereof, When the screw is wound on the drum in storag position,the doors 4| and 42 may be entered for the details of construction,arrangement and coma-hi0.

bination of parts may be resorted to, provided they fall within thespirit ofsthea-inyentionaand the scope of the appended claims. I Havingthus described the invention, what. is.

claimed as new and desired to beasecuredwygl'liiq Letters Patent is:

1. A fire guard screen of the--cliaracter -described for use in fluecuring tobacco barns comv prising a flexible screemof a size toextendfrom one side of thebarn to, the other, a drum secured 20 for"iournalling said axle: thereimiliook" means 25 3 9 7 secured" to theside, of the. barn opposite to said 4 side on which the drum is mounted,at substantially the same elevation as the drum and means on said screenfor engaging said hook means, whereby said screen is suspended inhorizontal relation to the floor of the barn below the lowest row oftobacco to be cured in the barn.

2. 'Ifhe invention as in claim 1,, wherein said drum is prbvided'withifcircula'r endflanges and relatively spacedopenings in one Of saidflanges are adapted to cooperate with means on one of said brackets toprevent rotation of said drum fontheiunwindingtthereof when the screenis in .1 horizontal operating position.

ROSS THOMPSON.

REFERENCES crrnn The following references are of record in the file..o.this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date- 197,234 "Wagner Nov; .20, 187 7322,347 Carey Ju1y:14, 1885' 191581056 Hill" f Junei.5',:.1923 ThextonSept;14,-:194'T

